Process for combining finely divided solid material with liquid



March 16, 1954 T. C PROCESS FOR COMBINING FI INVENTOR.

Y www@ Patented Mar. 16, 1954 PROCESS FOR COMBINING FINELY DIVIDED SOLIDMATERIAL WITH LIQUID Arthur Timothy Coakley, Catonsville, Md.

Original application September 7, 1949, Serial No.

114,358, now Patent No. 2,586,613, dated February 19, 1952. Divided andthis application February 11, 1952,

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to a process for combining or unitingvarious dry granular, powdery, pulverulent or other finely divided uentsolid materials with liquids, or oils, fatty or similar substances whichhave been reduced to a sufficiently fluent or liquid state by melting orother method of liquefaction, the present application being a divisionof my prior application Serial No. 114,358, filed September 7, 1949, nowPatent No. 2,586,613, granted February 19, 1952.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a novelprocess for combining or uniting and rubbing together hydrogenatedvegetable o ils and essential oils, such as oil of orange or lemon, withfinely granulated sugar, and blending the resulting mass with other dryingredients in one continuous operation in which the proportions of theingredients are controlled. The invention is applicable, for example, tothe preparation of dry formulae'bases for cake, biscuit, cruiler, wallieand doughnut mixes and the like. In the preparation of such bases, it isnecessary to mix together such ingredients as wheat iiour, soy flour,sugar, shortening, egg yolk, egg white, lecithin, skim milk, whole milk,buttermilk, baking acids, bicarbonate of soda, salt, spices, liquidavors and other materials.

shortening and sugar can be combined and rubbed or creamed to desireddegrees of consistency varyingvfrom a uiy snow-like mass to a heavyemulsion, dependent upon the proportion of liquid shortening to drygranulated or pulver-ulent sugar used and upon the duration of therubbing operation, by placing a batch of such ingredients in a mixingchamber and turning the mass by means of rotating arms or blades.

I'he present invention provides a process whereby the combining andrubbing together of such materials can be performed more rapidly andeconomically -by first impregnating the sugar with the liqueedshortening and then rubbing therewith.

The sugar is impregnated with the liquefied shortening while the sugaris owing and preferably spinning in the form of a hollow inverted cone,and the shortening is sprayed in the form of a hollow cone directly uponthe inner surface of the hollow cone of ilowing sugar, the shorteningand sugar being brought together in controlled proportion. riheimpregnated mass of sugar and shortening is then rubbed by passing themass continuously through a chamber containing a series of bladedelements which are rotated alternately in opposite directions throughoutthe series and operate frictionally upon the mass. When Serial N o.270,947

the shortening-impregnated and rubbed sugar is to be employed in thepreparation of bakery and similar products, it is dischargedcontinuously into a dry materials blender which incorporates theshortening-impregnated and rubbed sugar with the dry ingredients such asare used in the preparation of lsuch products.

The invention, however, is applicable more generally to the impregnatingand rubbing together of various other liquids or liquefied substancesand granular, pulverulent or other fluent solid materials, either edibleor inedible, such for example as the combining or compounding of facepowder, tooth powder or body powder with scenting or fiavoring oils;feeds, meals or laying mash; or the incorporation of sh oils or vitaminagents with food products; and other desired combinations, the inventionbeing applicable to the impregnating or saturating and rubbing ofvarious dry granular, pulverulent or nely divided and fluent solidmaterials with any liquid or mixture of liquids, and/or oily or fattysubstances in a liquid state while the solid materials and liquidsubstances are flowing at rates which are regulated relatively to oneanother whereby they will be combined or united in direct desiredproportion.

The present invention also provides a process wherein the impregnatingand rubbing of sugar or other uent solid material with shortening orother liquid or liqueiied substance or substances may be performed whilethe solid material and liquid or liquefied substance areowing'continuously and in predetermined regulated proportion,

. and the blending of the resulting impregnated and rubbed product withmixes such as used in bakeries and similar establishments, may beperformed in a single and complete operation.

The invention may be carried out advantageously with the aid ofapparatus substantially of the preferred form shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the impregnatingand rubbing elements of the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which theliquid is sprayed in the form of a hollow cone against the solidmaterial while the latter is advancing in the form of a hollow invertedcone.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals in the twofigures.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 29 designatesgenerally a casing, preferably of substantially rectangular form,

which encloses the various elements of the apparatus, the casing beingcomposed of sheet metal or other suitable material. The casing isdivided interiorly by a horizontal partition 22 into upper and lowercompartments 24 and 26 respectively, the lower compartment being adaptedto contain a batch blender preferably of the construction shown anddescribed in my aforesaid patent, and from which the blended materialsmay be discharged by a screw conveyor 54 the shaft 6u of which may bedriven through gearing E2 from a pulley 64, this pulley being driventhrough a belt 66 from a shaft 10 and suitable control means as shownand described in my aforesaid patent A hopper |92 is provided to supplythe sugar or other granular, pulverulent or other fluent solid materialto be impregnated with the shortening or other liquid or liqueiedsubstance, this hopper being open at the top through which the sugar orsolid material may be introduced into this hopper. The lower section itof the hopper ||l2 is in the form of an inverted cone and its innersurface is provided preferably with a suitable number of spiral ribs orflanges |93 to impart a spinning motion to the material de scending bygravity within this conical section. The lower extremity of the conicalsection |55 is provided with a circular discharge opening |||J which isconcentric with the axis of the conical section |86, and this opening iscontrolled by a valve, which is preferably in the form of a cylindricalgate valve or piston H2 which is somewhat larger than the opening mi andis mounted to slide vertically in a cylindrical housing ||4 in alinementwith the discharge opening Il@ and to cooperate with the conical innersurface of the section |05 adjacent to and surrounding said opening as avalve seat. rI'he housing ||4 is suitably supported in xed position withits lower edge spaced above the lower portion of the wall of the conicalsection lut to provide an annular passage H6 through which the solidmaterial descending over the inner surface of said conical section maypass to the discharge opening liti under control of the valve ||2. Thehousing ||4 is shown rigidly supported in the position described bytubular supporting members H8 and |23 which are welded or otherwisefixed to the housing and to the conical section of the hopper. As thesugar or solid material descends by gravity in the conical section |06,a spinning motion is imparted thereto by the spiral ribs |08, and assaid material `discharges downwardly through the circular opening |||iit is formed into a hollow inverted cone, as indicated diagrammaticallyin Fig. l5.

The valve H2 is raised and lowered to vary the area of the dischargepassage H5 by suitable means, such means as shown in the presentinstance comprising a raclf. bar |22 which is welded or otherwise fixedto the top of the valve and guided by a guideway |24 which is fixed tothe upper portion of the housing lid, and by a pinion |2 which mesheswith the rack bar and is xed to the inner end of a shaft i253, thisshaft extending outwardly through the housing and conical section of thehopper and through the wall of the outer casing to the exterior thereofwhere it is provided with a hand wheel itt for rotating it. The shaftE28 carries a pointer |32 which may cooperate with a scale or dial toindicate different rates of now of the sugar or other dry solid materialthrough the discharge passage It and thereby facilitate the setting ofthe control valve I |2.

The shortening or other liquid or liquefied substance to be used forimpregnating the sugar or other solid material is sprayed against theinner side of the hollow inverted cone a of the sugar or solid materialin the form of hollow cone b of the liquid which is coaxial with thehollov7 inverted cone c, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig` l5, by aspray nozzle |38 which is xed centrally in the lower end of the valve|22 to discharge the spray of liquid downwardly and axially through thecircular opening Hl?, this nozzle being of any well known type capableof atomizing and spraying liquid in the form of a hollow cone. Thisnozzle is supplied with the liquid o1- liqueed substance through acontrol valve lili) which is xed to the control valve H2 for the solidmaterial so that it will move upwardly and downwardly therewith duringits adjustments, and is connected to the spray nozzle |38 by a suitableconduit.

The extent of opening of the liquid control valve lim is regulatedsynchronously and in correlation with the extent of opening of the solidmaterial control valve H2 by suitable means. The means shown in thepresent instance for eiecting such synchronous and correlativoregulation o these valves comprises a link |42 pivotally connected atits lower end to an arm |44 which effects the opening and closing of thevalve Uit, and is provided at its upper end with a pin |45 which engagesin and is adjustable along a slot Ult in a relatively nxed or stationaryextension |55 oi the fixed guideway |24. The liquid control valve idd isshown in the form of a plug valve comprising an outer casing and a plugwhich is rotatable in the casing and conn nested to the operating arm|554, the plug and casing having controlling ports as shown anddescribed in my aforesaid patent.

The ports of the valve ltd are so arranged and the controlling link [diand arm |44 for the valve lite are preferably so designed and proporntioned that while the solids material control valve H2 is fully closed,as shown in Fig. l, the liquid control valve i4@ will be in the fullyclosed position, and as the valve H2 is elevated to open it for the flowof the solid material, the plug of the valve |40 will be rotated into aposition to open this Valve, more or less, depending upon the extent ofopening of the valve H2, or to rotate the plug of the valve |13@ intoits .fully open position, which it assumes when the valve ||2 is fullyopen. f

The synchronous control thus provided between. the solid materialcontrol valve l2 and the liquid control valve |48 proportions the ratesof flow of the solid material and liquid and consequently theproportions of said material and liquid brought together and maintainssuch proportions for different extents of opening of these valves for agiven setting of their inter-controlling connections, but theseconnections are adjustable to vary the proportioning of flow of thesolid material and liquid as may be desired, such adjustment beingprovided by the slot |48 in the guideway extension |50 in which the pin|46 on the upper end of the link |42 is adjustable. Shifting of the link|42 angularly from its vertical position will shift the pin |46 on itsupper end from the center toward an end of the slot |48, which will havethe effect of reducing the extent of opening or the valve |48 for agiven extent of opening of the valve Hi and of thereby reducing theproportion of liquid supplied relatively to solid material. Suchadjustment of the link |42 may be effected from the exterior of theouter casingy by a rod |60 the outer end of which is exposed at theexterior of the casing and slotted or otherwise formed for adjustment bya screw driver or other suitable tool, and the outer portion of this rodis threaded in a sleeve |62 xed to the inner side of the adjacent wallof the casing whereby rotation of this rod will move it endwise. Theinner end of the rod |60 is connected by a swivel joint |64 to a rodHit` to which endwise movement of the rod |60 is communicated, the innerend of the rod |66 being connected at |68 to the link |42 and operableby the endwise movements thereof to adjust the angular position of saidlink. Accordingly, rotation of the rod |60 in one direction will shiftthe pin |45 in a direction from the center toward an end of the slot 48to reduce the rate of supply of liquid, and rotation of said rod in theopposite direction will move said pin toward the center of said slot andthereby relatively increase the rate of flow of liquid.

The liquid is supplied to the valve 4|? at a suitable constant pressurethrough a pipe |12, which preferably extends through the hollowsupporting tube l I8 and is connected to said valve by a flexible tube|13. When shortening, fatty or similar` materials are to be employed forimpregnating sugar or other solid material, the shortening or similarsubstance is heated and thereby liquefied.

The hollow inverted cone of sugar or other solid material and the hollowcone of liquid or liqui- "ff fied substance are projected through theopening l0 into a rubbing chamber wherein thorough combining of thesolid material and liquid takes place. The rubbing chamber comprises acasing 220 the upper end of which is end of the conical section |05 ofthe solid material supply hopper and is open to receive the invertedcone of impregnated material therefrom, and the lower end of the casing220 is fixed to the partition 22 which is provided with an opening 222above the blender for the discharge of the rubbed mass into the blender.The rubbing chamber has a suitable number of rubbing elements mounted torotate therein, these rubbing elements comprising preferably rotatableshafts 224 journaled in the opposite ends of the casing and providedwith blades 226 which project radially therefrom and extend axiallythereof, these blades being solid or imperforate. It is preferable toemploy a series of at least five of these rubbing elements each providedwith four blades, and to arrange the rubbing elements in tiers in twoparallel adjacent rows, three of these elements being shown in thepresent instance arranged in one row with their axes in a commonvertical plane and two of these elements being arranged in an adjacentrow with their axes in a common vertical plane and at levelsrespectively between the level of the axis of the middle element and thelevels of the axes of the upper and lower elements of the three-tierrow.

The casing 220 is provided at the inner side of one of its walls withdeflectors 228 which extend inwardly between the circular paths oftravel of the peripheries of the blades of the middle and upper andlower rubbing elements of the threetier row of elements, respectivelyand have reversely inclined guiding surfaces, and said casing isprovided at the inner side of its opposite wall with deflectors 230, 232and of recesses with bevelled surfaces in which the rubbing elements ofthe two-tier row operate, and which latter deflectors are staggeredrelatively to the deflectors 228, thus forming a sinuous or tortuouschannel for the passage of the matexed to the lower 234 providing a pairrial through the rubbing chamber, and in which channel the rubbingelements operate with minimum clearance. Means is provided for rotatingthe rubbing elements synchronously and alternately in relativelyopposite directions in succession from the uppermost to the lowermostand from one tier to the other tier of the rubbing elements, such meansas shown in the present instance comprising a train of intermeshinggears 236 xed to the shafts of the rubbing elements and arranged torotate the rubbing elements in the left hand tier in Fig. 1 in aclockwise direction and the rubbing elements in the right hand tier insaid gure in the anti-clockwise direction. The blades of these elementsin one tier during rotation thereof move synchronously into and out ofthe spaces between the blades of the rubbing elements in the adjacenttier, thereby producing a frictional or rubbing action on the mass ofliquid impregnated solid material to effect a thorough combining orcompounding action thereon, and to feed the mass of material downwardlythrough the sinuous or tortuous channel and discharge it into theblender to be mixed therein with dry solid materials to be contained asingredients in the final product.

The gear train 236 is driven by a pulley on the shaft of one of therubbing elements, a pulley 24%) on the shaft 'i0 and a belt 242connecting these pulleys. These pulleys are preferably changeable withpulleys of different relative ratios of diameters, or may be of the wellknown variable diameter type to enable the speed of the rubbing elementsto be varied appropriately for the treatment of materials of differentphysical properties or to obtain products of different consistencies.

The various elements of the apparatus are preferably controlled from theexterior of the y enclosing casing. The rate of feed of the solidmaterial vto be sprayed with the liquid is controlled by the hand wheel|30 and the proportion of liquid to solid material is adjustable by theexteriorly exposed slotted end of the rod |60, as previously stated.

En carrying out the process with the aid of an apparatus as hereinbeforedescribed, the sugar or other granular or pulverulent solid material tobe impregnated is placed in the supply hopper E02, the impregnatingliquid, if an oily or fatty substance requiring liquefaction, is meltedby heating until it has the desired consistency and the liquefiedsubstance is fed at a constant pressure through the pipe Il?. to thecontrol valve 40, and the elements of the rubbing chamber are set intooperation.

While the apparatus is in operation and supplied with granulated,pulverulent or other fluent solid material and liquid for impregnatingit, as hereinbefore described, the valve E 2 is opened to theappropriate extent according to the desired rate of feed of solidmaterial by rotating the hand wheel |30 and, simultaneously therewith,the liquid control valve |40 is opened in consequence of the upward oropening movement of the valve i i2 and the connection of the operatingarm U54 of the valve |40 to the link |42, whereby the solid materialwill ow downwardly along the convergent inverted conical inner surfaceof the conical section |06 of the hopper |02, and in doing so will havea spinning or whirling motion imparted thereto by the spiral ribs |08.The granular or charging by gravity through the circular opening H0 isformed into a spinning hollow inverted pulverulent solid material dis--cone', and sin'iultaneouslyv ther -impregnating liquid suppliedvat aconstantpressure to the nozzle i3$ will be sprayed thereby in the formof a hollow cone inside or the hollow Ainverted spinning cone ofgranular or pulverulentsolid material and against the inside of thedescending hollow cone ci. solid material, thereby uniformly andthoroughly impregnating the solid material with the liquid, the spinningofthe cone of solidmaterial acting to fold' the liquid into the drysolid matei-iai.`

TheV liquid impregnatedgranulated or pulver ulent solid material isdischarged through the circular opening Heil into the rubbing chamberd'finwhich it. accumulates and is formed into a mass which substantiallylls this chamber. This mass descends through thel sinuousy channel.pro'videdin this-chamber and while doing so is successively rubbedfrictionally by the interaction of the blades ci the series ci rubbingelements, thereby uniting or combining the liquid and granulated orpulverulent solid material uniiormly throughout the mass.

The united or combined mass is discharged from the rubbingchamber-through the discharge opening 222 into the blender wherevit ismixed with the other ingredients of the desired product which .isdischarged by `the lconveyor 54.

The proportioning of shortening or liquid to sugar or solid material isaccurately correlated by the'l intercontrol. between the valvescontrolling the -flow thereof to different rates of flow of the solidmateriaL'so that the proportion oi solid material and :liquid ismaintained, insuring at all times the desired proportionv of sugar orsolid material 'and shortening oit-liquid to lbe mixed with a batch ofdry material in the blender.

An advantageous feature of the process is that it# enables `theimpregnating and rubbing or creaming of shortening and 'sugar to beperformed while the sugar and shortening are flowing continuously and ina desired proportion which is predetermined, thus facilitating in anovel manner the blending of dry prepared mixes such as used in bakeriesand similar establishments for cake, biscuit, doughnut and waie formulaeand the like, and enabling one 'single compact unit of machinery to beused kto aid in the performance of these operations in their entiretywherever desirable.

I claim:

1. The process of combining finely divided solid material with liquid,comprising iiowing a stream of the solid material in the form of ahollow inverted cone toward an apex, liquid above said apex by sprayingitin the form of an upright hollow cone within the inverted cone ofsolid material and thereby conning the atomized liquid within the coneof iiowing solid material and impregnating the owing solid material withthe liquid.

2. The process of combining nely divided solid materialY with liquid,comprising flowing a stream of the solid material in the form oi ahollow inverted cone toward an apex, and atomizing the liquid above saidapex by spraying it in the form of an upright hollow cone Within andcoaxially with the inverted cone of solid material and impinging `thelower peripheral edge of the hollow cone of liquid against the innerside of the wall of the flowing hollow inverted cone of solid materialand thereby commingling the liquid and solid material at the apex of theflowing inverted hollow cone ofl solid material.l

3. 'The process of impregnating finely divided and 'atomizing the solidmaterial With-liquid, comprising -iiowing 'a' stream of theV solidmaterial continuouslyinthe formera hollow inverted cone toward an apex,and atomizing the liquid continuously under constant pressure above saidapex andvdirectingthe atomized liquid downwardly in thenform ofY anupright hollow cone within and coaxially with; the lowing hollowinverted cone of solid mate-- rial and against the inner side of theWall thereof and thereby commingiing vthe liquid and solid material atthe apex of the -flowinghollow concy of solid material.

4. `The process of combining iinel-y dividedl solid material withliquid', comprising flowing the solid material in the form-'oi ahollow-cuna sprayingy the liquid within and against the `inner surfaceofuthe cone of solid material to impreg nate the latter with liquid,andcreaming the resultingmass of liquid impregnated solid material.

5. The process of combining finely divided solid vmaterial with liquid,comprising `flowing thev solid material in the form of a hollowcone,spraying the liquid within and against the inner surface of the cone offlowing solid and subjecting the mass to frictional rubbing action.

6. The

with dry material, comprising iiowing finely die vided solid material inthe; iorm'of a hollow cone,`

spraying liquid in the formof a `lriollcwfcone against the inner side ofthe cone, :sf-flowing solid material to impregna-te the latter with andblending Vthe resultant creamed mass with dry material.

'7. The process of combining sugar and shortening, comprisingrlowinggsugar in a iinely di.-` Vided state in the form of a hollowinverted cone toward an apex, and atomising shortening in a liqueedstatein the form of a 4holloweone within the inverted hollow cone of sugarand above said apex and thereby confining the atomized shortening whollywithin Atheilowing cone of f 8. The process of preparing a mix forbakery:

of vsugar and commingling v the'shortening and y sugar at the apex ofthe Yicwing cone or" sugar,

creamng the resulting commingled mass Vof sugar and shortening, .andblending the creamed product with dry ingredients of the desired mix. f

ARTHUR TIMOTHY COAKLE References Cited .in the le of this patent UNITEDSTATES PA'TlilN'ISV Number Name Date s 323,681 Holmes Aug. 4,1885384,568 Evans 1 June 12, 18,88

1,558,069 Williams Oct. 20, 192,5 1,788,345 Skirvin Jan.y 6, 19311,790,347 Hawkinsu, Jan. ,27, 1931 1,855,548 Forsterv Apr. 26, 1932FOREXGN PATENTS Number Country Date 57,144- Denmark Jan. 15.11940 vmaterial toV impregnato the-latter with liquid, and creaming theresulting mass of liquid-impregnated solid-- material by flowing the.same `ina sinuous path.`

process of combining finely divided.

solid vmaterial with liquid and blending. the sameliquid.:V creaming theliquid-impregnated solid material..

